Method and apparatus for scoring travel itineraries in a data processing system

• US 20020173978A1
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yu, Philip Shi-lung, Rigoutsos, Isidore, Grey, William, Moskowitz, Paul Andrew, Boies, Stephen J., Greene, David Perry, Dinkin, Samuel H.
• Application Number:
  US09/859,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating an itinerary. User values assigned to a set of factors relating to travel from a first location to a second location are identified. These user values are compared to travel data for a route of travel from the first location to the second location to form a score.

Claims

1. A method on a data processing system for generating an itinerary, the method comprising:

identifying user values assigned to a set of factors relating to travel from a first location to a second location; and

comparing the user values to travel data for a route of travel from the first location to the second location to form a score.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing the user values to travel data for a set of routes of travel from the first location to the second location, wherein the set of routes includes the route; and

selecting a best route from the set of routes having a highest score when compared to the user values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of factors includes at least one of trip time for travel from the first location to the second location, probability of a delay, probability of a cancellation, seating availability, availability of special meal, whether the route is a direct route, probability that a flight on the route will be full, expected wait time for baggage, amount of frequent flier miles, layover times, nature of connection, a safety record for a plane assigned to the route, a safety record of an airline for the route, whether the route meets a selected set of travel guidelines.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of factors includes a probability of a delay and wherein the comparing step includes:

comparing a specified time of travel for the route to travel data in the form of historical data to identify a probability of delay.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel data includes historical data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the historical data includes delays associated with weather for times corresponding to a travel time for the route.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step include:

performing statistical analysis of travel data for the route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step includes comparing factors absent in the user values.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the route from the first location to the second location is one part of a route of travel from an origination to a final destination for a user.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending a proposed itinerary to a user in response to selecting the best route.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

reserving a seat on a flight for the best route in response to a user request to reserve the seat.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the proposed itinerary includes a number of the set of routes.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the bus system includes a primary bus and a secondary bus.

15. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the processor unit includes a single processor.

16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the processor unit includes a plurality of processors.

17. The data processing system claim 13, wherein the communications unit provides a connection to at least one of a physical network and a wireless network.

18. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the communications unit provides a connection to at least one of an Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a local area network, and a wide area network.

20. The data processing system of claim 19 further comprising:

comparing means for comparing the user values to travel data for a set of routes of travel from the first location to the second location, wherein the set of routes includes the route; and

selecting means for selecting a best route from the set of routes having a highest score when compared to the user values.

21. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the set of factors includes at least one of trip time for travel from the first location to the second location, probability of a delay, probability of a cancellation, seating availability, availability of special meal, whether the route is a direct route, probability that a flight on the route will be full, expected wait time for baggage, amount of frequent flier miles, layover times, nature of connection, a safety record for a plane assigned to the route, a safety record of an airline for the route, whether the route meets a selected set of travel guidelines.

22. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the set of factors includes a probability of a delay and wherein the comparing step includes:

comparing means for comparing a specified time of travel for the route to travel data in the form of historical data to identify a probability of delay.

23. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the travel data includes historical data.

24. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the historical data includes delays associated with weather for times corresponding to a travel time for the route.

25. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the comparing step include:

performing means for performing statistical analysis of travel data for the route.

26. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the comparing step includes comparing factors absent in the user values.

27. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the route from the first location to the second location is one part of a route of travel from an origination to a final destination for a user.

28. The data processing system of claim 20 further comprising:

sending means for sending a proposed itinerary to a user in response to selecting the best route.

29. The data processing system of claim 28 further comprising:

reserving means for reserving a seat on a flight for the best route in response to a user request to reserve the seat.

30. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein the proposed itinerary includes a number of the set of routes.

32. The computer program product of claim 30 further comprising:

first instructions for comparing the user values to travel data for a set of routes of travel from the first location to the second location, wherein the set of routes includes the route; and

second instructions for selecting a best route from the set of routes having a highest score when compared to the user values.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the set of factors includes at least one of trip time for travel from the first location to the second location, probability of a delay, probability of a cancellation, seating availability, availability of special meal, whether the route is a direct route, probability that a flight on the route will be full, expected wait time for baggage, amount of frequent flier miles, layover times, a safety record for a plane assigned to the route, a safety record of an airline for the route, whether the route meets a selected set of travel guidelines.

13. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus, wherein data is sent and received using the communications unit;

a display device connected to the bus system, wherein information is presented on the display device;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein a set of instructions are located in the memory; and

a processor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processor unit executes the set of instructions to identify user values assigned to a set of factors relating to travel from a first location to a second location; and

compare the user values to travel data for a route of travel from the first location to the second location to form a score.

19. A data processing system for generating an itinerary, the data processing system comprising:

identifying means for identifying user values assigned to a set of factors relating to travel from a first location to a second location; and

comparing means for comparing the user values to travel data for a route of travel from the first location to the second location to form a score.

31. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for generating an itinerary, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for identifying user values assigned to a set of factors relating to travel from a first location to a second location; and

second instructions for comparing the user values to travel data for a route of travel from the first location to the second location to form a score.